Heavily armed terrorists attacked a sensitive army camp and residential premises in Nagrota in Jammu on Tuesday, killing seven army personnel, including two officers.
After an eight-hour long gun battle, the army neutralised four terrorists and rescued 16 hostages, including wives and children of army personnel.
Here is a profile of the soldiers and officers who sacrificed their lives in line of duty:
Major Akshay Girish Kumar
Age: 31 years
Hometown: Bengaluru, Karnataka
Survived by: Wife Sangeeta (married in 2012) and daughter Naina (aged 3)
Major Akshay was deputed on duty by the quick response team of the Army.
The son of a former IAF fighter pilot, Major Akshay was very vocal on his views concerning the armed forces — from the OROP issue to the killing of Captain Saurabh Kalia at the start of the Kargil War.
Akshay signed a petition on Change.org in May this year, asking the Chief Minister of Haryana to provide justice to Major Sushil Chhikara, whose family had been murdered.
Before his posting in Jammu and Kashmir, Akshay had lived in Kolkata and Pune with his wife and daughter.
His parents, Wing Commander (Retd) Girish Kumar and mother Meghna Girish live in Bengaluru with his sister.
Akshay’s mother wanted the martyr’s daughter Naina to be inspired by Tajamul Islam, an eight-year-old Kashmiri kickboxer
Major Akshay’s wife and daughter were present in Nagrota on Tuesday when the attack took place.
Major Kunal Gosavi
Age: 32 years
Hometown: Pandharpur, Solapur district, Maharashtra
Education: Major Kunal did his schooling from Pandharpur and graduated from the Brihan Maharashtra College of Commerce in Pune. Joined the army in 2006
Belonged to: The 166 Medium Regiment
Survived by: Wife Uma K Gosavi (married in 2009) and three-year-old daughter Umang
The Gosavi family owns farms in Wakhari village and shops in Pandharpur town. Kunal has two elder brothers who look after the family business.
His father, after receiving the news of his death, said that he was very proud of his son. “My son sacrificed his life for the nation. He always wanted to join the army and we never stopped him,” he stated.
Major Kunal had been on a month’s leave before joining duty just three days before the attack.
The attack also claimed the lives of five soldiers.
Havildar Sukhraj Singh
Age: 32 years
Hometown: Maan Nagar village, Gurdaspur district, Punjab
Survived by: Wife Harmeet Kaur
Lance Naik Sambhaji Yashwant Kadam
Age: 32 years
Hometown: Janapuri village, Nanded district, Maharashtra
Survived by: Wife Sheetal and three-year-old daughter Tejaswini
His family — which also comprises his father Yashwant, mother Lata and his two sisters — lives in Janapuri.
Grenadier Raghvendra Singh
Age: 28 years
Hometown: Gadijatar village, Dholpur district, Rajasthan
Survived by: Wife Anjana Sikaewal
Rifleman Asim Rai
Age: 32 years
Hometown: Ratanchha village, Nepal
Survived by: Madhu Kala Rai
Naik Chittranjan Debbarma
Age: 37 years
Hometown: Garingpara village, Tripura
Survived by: Wife Namita and their two children, aged 11 and 7 years
Friends, Army Men Express Their Grief at the Deaths
Major Akshay’s friend, Amulya Kashyap, took to Facebook to express her grief. In a post, she wrote:
“While we talk about all our brave men on our borders and we expect and hope that they'll be alright, I lost a very good friend of mine to our fight with Pakistan today and it's not in a million years I would have thought that happening. Akshay Girish, you pursued your life's goals and gave yourself up for our land, am hurting that you had to leave us.. I'll miss you and thank you for everything you did :(
I hate that I missed that last talk with you nor I can't see you anymore.. Hard to not get replies from you but I'll keep sending you messages so you can read from where you are.
RIP Major Akshay..”
(With inputs from The Indian Express and The Times of India)
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